Chapter 6 – Fire and Blood
oOo
Itsuki felt on edge, and he was not exactly fond of the feeling. His gut was telling him something was wrong, and ever since Itachi had disappeared with the orphan boy to distribute supplies and water the horses, the feeling had only worsened. It was childish to try and keep them all together at all times, especially with the circumstances of their mission, but that didn't soothe his unease.
Kama was unloading jugs of water and crates of healing herbs, and instructing Hana while Shin began to clean the harnesses from the horses. No one around them was throwing insults or debris anymore, but now it seemed even the murmurs had ceased. No whispered rumors, hushed insults, grumbled complaints… There was nothing. The streets were silent.
It was too quiet, Itsuki realized, and he didn't like it one bit.
"Where did everyone go?" Shin asked suddenly, voicing the Jōnin's thoughts aloud. Kama turned, scanning the streets with a frown. The last rays of the sun were disappearing over the tops of the broken buildings and slipping away into the dusk. She scowled and put her hands on her hips.
"Most folks don't like staying out too late here," she answered shortly, the lines of her face deepening. "They aren't fond of the sound, I s'pose."
"Sound?" Shin questioned, confused. Kama nodded wearily.
"You'll see what I mean soon enough," she sighed, before resting a hand on Hana's shoulder and pointing her toward another box's designated location. "We'll finish up in the next hour, when your other lad returns with the horses, and I'll get you kids a room."
"Thank you for your hospitality," Itsuki answered mindlessly, though his head was spinning, sifting through possible dangers and heavy suspicions a mile a minute. He just hoped Itachi would return soon, and they could be out of this infernal dump of a town as soon as possible. He didn't like the air of the people here, cruel as it sounded. There was simply too much room for danger, too many pockets and alleyways ideal for attack. Already their vulnerable position beneath the vantage point offered by buildings made him nervous.
"Least I can offer for Leaf's kindness, eh, Jōnin-san?" she answered, her eyes glittering, and he wasn't sure if the words were laced with bitterness or sarcasm or some odd combination of the two. Strange woman, this Kama was. He supposed that it could only be expected of a war torn town. Harsh times made harsh people, and Kama was no exception.
The air grew colder as the last of the boxes were finally unloaded and delivered to the correct locations without incident. No one tried to steal the merchandise, quietly tucked away in their homes or into the corners of alleyways. Perhaps it was the presence of ninja, and the fear of being attacked by Konoha that kept them at bay, though that certainly hadn't stopped the little brat that had bitten his Genin.
He was pulling a cover over the wagon when a whisper seemed to waft through the air. He stilled, his hands freezing as he tilted his head slightly, listening carefully. The noise paused, and then a faint scratching sound picked up again, barely audible over the chilly breeze. He heard something that sounded like the screech of a bird, faint and far off, and it was answered by an equally chilling keening wail.
What on earth…?
He turned to look in the direction the sound had seemed to come from, but all he saw were a few empty food stands and beyond, the barely visible roof of the hospital. The streets were all but deserted, nothing but trash tumbling across the streets, no sign of life apart from the rats scurrying into gutters and beyond the cracks of buildings.
"Sensei," Hana interrupted his focus, and he turned to the girl standing nearby, watching him with a pensive and mildly frightened expression. "Something wrong?"
He paused before answering, and it didn't escape her notice. She paled slightly, and then passed it off with a snort.
"I bet you're slacking off again. Seriously, Sensei, we've been doing all the hard labor while you sit around on your ass. Let's go find that dumbass Uchiha and get going, kay?"
He answered with a false smile and ruffled her hair, making her roll her eyes and swat his hand away.
"Team Two must be getting lazy, taking their sweet time like this," he drawled in response. "I guess if Itachi doesn't return by nightfall, we'll have to go get him ourselves. Fair?"
"Good enough," she acquiesced, crossing her arms. "I'll go tell the other dumbass." She turned and walked away, only casting a single, worried glance down the path Itsuki had been staring at earlier before returning to the stocked building. "Oi, ossan! Get off your lazy arse and come over here!"
Damn good ninja, she'll be, Itsuki thought fondly, a smug smile of approval touching his lips. She'd keep a careful eye out for danger, and warn Shin to do the same. The fact that she'd noticed something amiss at all spoke wonders of her observation skills. And hiding her fear so that she wouldn't alert or alarm any of the people around them showed tact and the ability to think ahead. Really, these children were something else.
No thanks to him, the snide thought wormed its way into his head, and he dismissed it quickly. Perhaps he had not had the opportunity to teach very much thus far, but that would change once their bodies were trained to be fit and strong enough to handle what he wanted to teach.
He shifted his focus to the alley Itachi had disappeared down and his smile faded. The two really should have been back by now, and it was worrying that nightfall was fast approaching. Genius prodigy or not, Itachi was still only seven, no matter how old he seemed.
"Oi, ossan, I said…" Hana trailed off when she saw Shin sitting on the ground, speaking quietly to one of the boys they'd seen earlier. Shiba, she recalled. The boy was obviously upset, his eyes puffy and red, and Shin had a hand resting on his head.
"I… I thought you went after that Cardinal lady," she began, surprised. "What's wrong?"
"Canary," the boy corrected with a glare, before scrubbing at his eyes. "It's nothing," he insisted, wiping his nose with a dirty sleeve. Hana glanced at Shin, but the grey-haired boy shrugged.
"I don't know," Shin explained. "He just came back a little while ago looking for his brother."
"Midori-san went with Itachi to water the horses," she explained quietly, crouching in front of Shiba. "If you tell us what's wrong, we might be able to help. We are ninja, y'know. We're pretty good at helping people."
Shiba sucked in a deep, shuddering breath.
"No," he mumbled, more tears leaking from his eyes. "Canary-hime will help." His voice cracked on the last word and he buried his head in his arms. "She will," he mumbled, his voice smothered. Hana and Shin exchanged a glance.
"Well… maybe we could find her, and bring her to help you," Shin offered tentatively. "Do you know where she is?"
"I'm not the one that needs help!" Shiba insisted suddenly, raising his head as more tears slipped down his cheeks. "Just… just stay here for a while," he muttered, burying his head once more. "I don't wanna be alone."
Shin met Hana's gaze and a mutual understanding seemed to pass between them. She stood.
"Sensei said we would search for the Uchiha at nightfall if he and Midori-san hadn't returned," she told him quietly. "I'll tell him we should go now. That way we can bring back his brother."
"Y-you'd do that?" Shiba asked with a hiccup, his eyes wide and hopeful.
She smiled at him, her heart aching a little at the thought of her own little brother waiting for her back home.
"Of course," she answered. "Midori-san would want to be here, and I'm sure you'd feel better if your brother were with you. Shin can stay with you while we look."
Shiba nodded, scrubbing at his eyes again in futile effort to stop the tears.
She leaned in close to whisper in his ear, staring pointedly at Shin.
"You gotta protect this one while we're gone, though. Shin's a bit of a blockhead, and he's super clumsy. Make sure no one messes with him, kay? I'll get in trouble if he's hurt."
She winked at Shiba, and the boy offered her a watery smile while Shin made a sound of protest.
"Oi, Hana-san—!"
"I will," Shiba promised with a slight hiccup. "Th-thanks, kunoichi-san."
She swelled a little with pride at the form of address, because, well, she knew she was a ninja and all, but it was still nice to hear it acknowledged by other people. She ruffled Shiba's hair and flicked Shin on the forehead before smiling fondly at them and heading back toward Itsuki.
Shin rolled his eyes and rubbed his head with a scowl before settling down comfortably next to Shiba, the double message in Hana's conversation loud and clear.
Protect him and watch out for danger.
But sheesh, she didn't have to add the whole clumsy thing, did she? Maybe he wasn't all that sure-footed, but she didn't have to rub it in like that. He huffed in annoyance before returning his attention to Shiba. Whatever. Girls were dumb anyways.
Hana met Itsuki's gaze and explained the situation in a low voice.
"So can we leave now?" she asked once she was finished, her voice low. For once, he seriously looked like he was considering her proposal, and she felt a little warm at the thought of finally being taken seriously.
"Ne, Hana-chan, you couldn't have possibly planned this all, could you?" he pondered, a finger going to his lips.
"W-what?" she blinked, startled. "Why the hell would I do that?"
"Well, say you were worried about Itachi-kun—"
"Not a chance in hell," she interrupted bluntly, staring at him in total deadpan. "Let's go."
He smiled cheerfully and rested a hand on her shoulder.
"Yes, yes, Hana-chan. Let's look for our other adorable Genin, shall we?"
She rolled her eyes.
"Kama said the watering troughs were behind the hospital," she informed him sourly. "We should start there."
He nodded, his cheery smile still in place.
"Stay close," he advised, and she heard something sinister behind his carefree tone. Wordlessly, she nodded, her annoyance fading as apprehension took its place. Those boys definitely should have been back by now. Itsuki alerted Kama to let her know where they were going before setting off toward the hospital.
As they walked further down the streets, the sounds Itsuki had heard before picked up again, increasing in volume as they neared the large hospital building.
"What is that?" Hana asked, drawing a little closer to Itsuki in spite of herself. Strange wails were echoing quietly through the air, along with an occasional noise of impact, as if someone had dropped something heavy.
"It sounds like it's coming from the hospital," Itsuki answered quietly, his smile fading. "Proceed carefully."
He didn't have to tell her twice. She'd been antsy ever since the Uchiha had left in the first place, what with civilians acting hostile and trying to pick their pockets every time they took too long to blink. This place didn't exactly have the safe and cozy atmosphere Konoha did.
"Wait!"
Hana jumped, startled, and Itsuki already had a kunai in hand as they both turned, facing whoever was trying to sneak up on them. A man stumbled up to them, breathing heavily, with one hand clutching his side and the other held up, outstretched to them as if to try and stop them. He straightened quickly, taking deep breaths to steady himself, before continuing. "You… you're Leaf shinobi, right?"
"Who's asking?" Itsuki asked mildly, taking a half step in front of Hana. She automatically slid into a defensive stance, hands trembling a little but eyes fierce. She'd been trained for this.
"I… I need help, please," the man begged, desperation glinting in his eyes. Hana stared at the unshaven man with a frown, openly judging his untucked shirt, bare feet, and overall disheveled appearance. "My daughter is missing," he breathed. "I can't afford to sanction an official mission from Kusagakure, but please," he took a step forward and Itsuki's grip tightened around his kunai. A warning. The man stopped dead in his tracks, eyes flickering down to the weapon with fear, but he didn't stop, only pausing to take a deep, shuddering breath before continuing. "I've heard of Leaf's compassion, so please. She's been gone for three years. I think she was kidnapped, or… or ran away, I don't know, but please, I beg of you, she's all I have left."
"Ossan," Itsuki answered in a low voice, his hat tipped low enough to cast his eyes into shadow, and the partial darkness made him an intimidating figure to behold. Hana vaguely hoped the dim lighting made her look that badass too, before focusing her attention on the potential threat as her sensei continued. "You do realize the war was still ongoing then? Most missing people not found within a year…"
"I know the odds are slim," the man interrupted, a sheen of sweat appearing on his forehead. "And I know I have no business asking foreign ninja without sufficient pay, but… but I have to try," he begged. "At least take this," he pleaded, pulling a sheet of paper from his pocket. "It's… It's a drawing I had made of her, so please, if you do see her, somewhere, anywhere, bring her home to me."
"We cannot sanction a mission for free. You will have to rely on the local authorities," Itsuki answered quietly.
A rumble cut off the man's reply, low and deep. Three heads simultaneously turned to the hospital in time to see a flicker of shattering light erupt on the second floor before an explosion ripped through the air and the entire building erupted into flames, shaking the ground and sending glass and stone blasting from its center. Smoke billowed in huge, dark columns into the air, obscuring the moon and darkening the sky.
Itsuki grabbed Hana's arm and dove to the side as the shock of the blast hit them, sending debris flying in their direction. As soon as they crashed into the ground she was ripping herself out of his grip and scrambling to her feet.
"Stay down!" he ordered sharply, and she jerked back away from him.
"Itachi's over there!" she screamed frantically over the crackling of flames, tears springing into her eyes. There was an ominous, creaking groan as the hospital began to collapse and fold in on itself, giant sheets of stone and concrete crashing inward and breaking through entire floors. Hana began to run toward the building and Itsuki lunged forward, catching her arm and jerking her to a stop.
She glared at him in betrayal, teeth clenched, and he dragged her to his side roughly.
"We go together," he told her quietly, kasa pulled low. She stilled, her mouth parting slightly in shock, before she smiled weakly and wiped at her eyes. Itsuki was suddenly struck by how young she was, and returned the smile grimly, loosening his grip on her arm.
For all her crude language and exterior toughness, she was still just a child worried about her friends.
"Okay," she agreed fiercely, reasserting her game face with a huff.
"We'll circle around back," he ordered quietly, before turning to look at the man that had interrupted them. He was lying stunned amidst some debris, having been knocked to the ground from the force of the blast, but as far as Itsuki could see, there were no serious or life-threatening injuries.
"Your interruption might've spared Hana's life," he tipped his hat to the man, who blinked blearily at them, still stunned. "You have my gratitude."
Itsuki wordlessly took the paper still clenched in the man's hand, unfolding it to reveal a painting of a smiling child with dark hair and pale eyes.
"Your daughter is most likely dead, ossan," Itsuki told him bluntly, and the man flinched. "But I won't forget this face. If I see her, you have my word she will be returned to you."
The man visibly sagged with relief.
"Thank you," he breathed, reaching out as if to clasp Itsuki's hand, but the Jōnin took a step back, keeping his distance. "Thank you so mu—"
"Don't thank me until your girl is found," came the quiet reply.
And with that goodbye, the two cautiously approached the burning hospital. Only moments later, they began to hear the screams.
Wailing shrieks of pain and fear were echoing from within the building, and shadows moved from behind windows, writhing figures coated in flames, screaming out for help, and sobbing soon followed, audible even above the snapping of flames and crashing of equipment collapsing and breaking.
"Look for a relatively safe point to enter," he told Hana quietly. Their priority was Itachi, but they would not ignore a life that could be saved. Konoha's shinobi were not trained to be so cruel. Hana didn't answer, and when he looked down, she saw her face was drawn and pale, her dark eyes wide and almost luminescent, reflecting the flames glowing in front of them.
"Sensei…" she whispered. "The smell…"
He grimaced, because even he could smell the sickening stench of burning flesh, and she could no doubt hear them voicing their pain with significantly more clarity.
"Focus on Itachi," he ordered sharply, and she jumped, snapping out of her horrified trance. She swallowed hard and took a deep, shuddering breath.
"If he's okay, he'll be back there," she whispered, slowly raising an arm to point.
"You caught his scent?" Itsuki confirmed, and she nodded, some of her attitude returning as an affronted expression filtered into her posture.
"Of course," she answered sourly. "Th-the dumbass is my teammate." Itsuki nodded, and they ran to the back of the hospital, Hana leading the way. She didn't say anything else as they made a quick perimeter of the building.
The hospital was completely engulfed in flames, all doors and windows flickering with orange and yellow light, and all too soon, the sobbing turned into weak, hoarse screams, and even the screams began to fade as strangled voices were choked off mid-cry.
Then, there was just silence. A horrible, stagnant silence, broken only by the gentle crackling of flames and entire floors crumbling to ash. Itsuki and Hana both felt a heaviness that had nothing to do with the smoke continue to fill the air.
"Th-there!" Hana's voice cut into the silence, and she ran ahead, nearly stumbling in her haste. Itsuki followed her gaze to the empty lot behind the hospital. Itachi was on his knees, staring beyond the border of the small city, his gaze distant and unreadable. Grime and soot coated his hands and face, surrounded by rubble and charred debris.
"Itachi!" Hana threw her arms around his waist and collided with him, knocking him back as she hugged him tight.
"H-Hana-san…?" Itachi murmured distantly, his eyes slowly moving to turn toward her. One hand hesitantly rose to her back to return the hug. She immediately shoved him off of her and punched him in the gut, making him wheeze.
"You stupid asswipe! You were supposed to be back ages ago! You make me worry again and I swear I'll blow up your sorry hide myself!"
He gasped slightly for air, and the hit seemed to break him from his reverie and wake him up a little.
"A-ah," he answered, looking at her for the first time and forcing a small smile. "Sorry I was late."
She blinked, and something flickered across her expression.
"Something's wrong," she said slowly, even as she realized it. "I want you to tell me what happened, but first things first. Midori-san was with you, right? Is he okay?"
Itachi nodded slowly.
"He took the horses to the stables," the Uchiha answered quietly. "We were in the clear when the hospital exploded. I came back to see if I could save some of the patients, and he stayed behind."
"I'll retrieve him," Itsuki cut in, walking towards the two. He laid a hand on Itachi's shoulder, and Itachi met his gaze, his dark eyes unreadable. "Hana-chan, please make sure Itachi-kun makes it back to the room Kama-san has prepared for us."
She nodded, relieved. She'd been prepared to fight Itsuki tooth and nail to stay with Itachi, and it seemed that was one less battle she would have to struggle through today.
"Don't forget to pick up our other dumbass," she reminded him, putting a hand on her hip. He nodded with a cheerful smile and vanished in a swirl of leaves. Hana had a feeling she wasn't supposed to ask whether Itachi had been able to save anyone once he'd returned to the hospital. He was alone, and his expression told her plenty, as did her sense of smell. No survivors.
"C'mon," she tugged him to his feet. "Let's get outta here before the smoke gets too thick." He nodded mutely, staring blankly at her hand around his wrist. She paused, slowly releasing him. Okay, something was really wrong. Itachi rarely lost his composure, and she knew for a fact that he would sooner throw an insult at someone than lose his equanimity. Which, if you knew the guy, was really hard to get him to do. He was almost painfully polite even in the worst of moods.
"Terrible, isn't it?" she said softly, squinting through the smoke at the flames. "All those helpless people, trapped in such a bad accident."
Itachi stiffened, and she blinked when he turned away.
"It wasn't an accident, Hana-san," he muttered, eyes lowering to the ground. She shifted uncomfortably when she saw the angry, glittering tears that splattered against the ground, feeling like she should turn away. He slowly raised his head to glare at the flames with a stunning ferocity, and she took a hesitant step back, because Itachi looked… scary like that. She'd never seen him make that kind of expression before.
He clenched his teeth, jaw tightening. "That was the Canary." He spat the last word like a curse, and she blinked, eyes widening as she turned around toward the hospital. Her hand, half extended to comfort her teammate, slowly returned to her side.
"No way," she breathed.
oOo
"Midori!" Shiba jumped to his feet as soon as he saw his brother, startling Shin as they both faced the two standing in the doorway. The younger brother ran to his sibling, and Midori smiled weakly, returning the hug Shiba gave him.
"Did Canary-hime do it?" Shiba asked hurriedly, his eyes so large his brother could see his face reflected in them. "Is everyone okay?"
"I… I'm sorry," Midori's weak smile faded, his hands trembling as his eyes shined with unshed tears. "She… everyone and Gina, she… they died, Shiba."
Silence fell over the four, and Shin's eyebrows drew together as confusion filtered into his expression.
"What's this about a death?" Itsuki questioned, finally breaking the horrible quiet, and Shiba dropped to the ground, burying his head in his arms.
"Shiba, I'm sorry," Midori began, crouching by his brother. "I'm really sorry…"
Shin walked over to the boys, hesitantly crouching on the ground.
"Ne, what's going on? Did one of your friends get hurt in that big explosion we heard earlier?"
"Shut up!" Shiba sprang to his feet, hands balled into fists as he glared at Shin, who jumped back, startled. His hand twitched to his weapons pouch instinctively, but he didn't draw. "Don't pretend to care! You guys just arrive with one tiny wagon and suddenly think you're on our side but you're not!"
"Shiba, stop! Think about who you're talking to!" Midori grabbed Shiba's arm, but Shiba ripped it out of his grip.
"I don't care! Gina's dead, and it's because the Greenies and Stoners can't mind their own frickin' business and leave us out of it! We're always the ones paying for their stupid fights, and they think they can bring some food and medicine and suddenly be our friends!" Shiba whirled on Itsuki, who stared back at him with flat, emotionless eyes. "Do we need medicine now, Greenie?!" He demanded in a snarl. "Our hospital's been blown up, so we don' even have patients to take it!" His glare shifted to Shin, and tears slipped down his cheeks. "You guys make me sick."
Shin's eyes went wide, and he swallowed, trying to force back the stinging in his eyes. Ninja weren't supposed to cry, especially over something as trivial as harsh words. But he'd never really been good at handling rejection, and this stung, even if the words rang false to him. They could be true in regard to Konoha, even if it didn't apply directly to him.
The sound of a sharp slap rang out in the tense silence, and Shin jumped in surprise, his eyes jerking back up to the boys. Midori's eyes were shadowed, his hand still raised, and Shiba took a stumbling step back, his cheek burning a bright red.
"Midori…" he mumbled, hurt and betrayed.
"Who do you think you're talking to?" his older brother hissed. "These aren't normal people, they're ninja, you moron! Apologize!"
"Why should I?!" Shiba demanded. "I haven't done anything wr—!"
"Because they can kill you without a second thought and no one would blink twice!" Midori snarled. Shin started, his mouth parting to interrupt, but no words came out. "It doesn't matter who's right or wrong. Remember what happened to Gina for talking back to a ninja? Learn to control yourself before someone stronger does it for you!" Midori's tone was angry, but his expression was one of fear and apprehension.
Realization froze his brother's expression, and Shiba slumped, guilty and defeated as something dark passed across his eyes, as if he were remembering something particularly unpleasant.
"But Gina… she…" Fat tears spilled from his eyes, and Midori laid a hand on his shoulder.
"C'mon," he urged gently, nodding toward Shin and Itsuki. "Apologize."
Shiba turned toward the ninja and bowed his head. Tears splattered against the dirt streaked ground.
"I'm sor—!"
"Stop."
Shiba blinked in shock, as did Midori, when Shin was the one to interrupt, and not Itsuki. The boy's voice was dark and rang with finality. The Jōnin sensei turned to his student, raising an eyebrow, but Shin didn't falter. "Don't apologize."
Shin stared hard at Shiba, willing down his hurt and confusion and trying his best to sound stern and collected. His eyes still stung, and he could feel heat burning in his cheeks, but now he was more upset because two children who had suffered more than most had just lost a friend, and were afraid to speak their mind for fear of offending a ninja and possibly losing their lives because of it.
Ninja were supposed to be the good guys. Ninja were supposed to help people that were struggling. That was why they were there. They weren't supposed to burn down places that weren't involved in the war. They weren't supposed to destroy the homes of innocent children. And they certainly weren't supposed to hurt a child for getting angry and speaking out against something he or she believed was wrong. The fact that this Gina person had been punished for yelling at a ninja was… was deplorable. It made him sick. It made him… not proud to be a ninja. It made him ashamed. Because even if the ninja wasn't from Konoha, it was their duty to be better than that.
So if he let Shiba apologize… well, he just couldn't. If Shiba apologized out of fear of being hurt by them, the very same ninja that came to help, Shin wouldn't even know who he was anymore. What kind of person would let a kid apologize for something like that? He didn't know, but he was sure it wasn't the kind of person he wanted to be.
"We're not going to hurt you just because you think something's unfair," Shin told the boys, his eyes dark and serious. "If another ninja hurt your friend because she said something they didn't like, they should have their license as a shinobi removed. Sometimes ninja fight other ninja, because they want to protect people like you. If any ninja tries to hurt an innocent civilian, they don't even deserve the title."
Shin spat the last sentence venomously, and Midori and Shiba stared at him, their expressions unreadable. At the very least, Shiba's frustrated tears had stopped.
When Shin next spoke, it was to Itsuki, and his voice was trembling.
"Why is this happening?" he asked, hands shaking at his sides as Midori rested an arm across his brother's shoulders, speaking to him in a low voice and murmuring soft words of solace. "The war is over, dammit! People should be happy, shouldn't they?!"
"Sometimes things aren't as black and white as you'd expect," Itsuki answered quietly. "You handled the situation well."
Shin blinked at the unexpected compliment, raising his head to meet Itsuki's eyes. His sensei turned to the children.
"Shin is right. Just like with any job, there are good ninja and bad ninja. I am sorry that your past experiences only seem to have been with the latter. We are not here to harm you, but if there is any information you can give us regarding the hospital and why it was targeted, we might be able to help prevent things like this from happening again. Fair enough?"
Midori and Shiba quieted, exchanging a glance, and Itsuki's eyes sharpened, detecting the subtle changes in their attitudes with ease. It was obvious they knew it wasn't a random attack, but only with their cooperation would he be able to learn the details.
"Okay," Midori answered, a little hesitantly, "But I'm taking Shiba home first." Itsuki nodded agreeably.
"If I understand correctly, we have a room to get back to as well. Itachi and Hana will meet us there." The last sentence he directed toward Shin, who started in surprise, seeming to just remember his two other companions. Guilt flickered briefly across his features.
"Oh, yeah, was Itachi-san okay? He was out pretty late, and didn't come back with Midori-san…"
"He's fine," Itsuki assured him. "A little shaken up, but nothing a good night's sleep won't cure, eh?" He offered Shin a too bright smile and the boy stared at him for a moment before shrugging.
"Okay. It's Itachi, so… I guess it would be weird if he wasn't fine." Shin turned to the brothers and bowed, making them blink in surprise.
"I'm really sorry about your friend!" Shin insisted heatedly, before raising his head. "I promise to help any way I can, and I know my teammates will do the same. I look forward to seeing you tomorrow."
The boys just stared at him as Itsuki turned and began to walk away, motioning with a hand for his student to follow. Blushing a little, Shin complied, and they headed back toward the wagon to find Kama. He wasn't sure if what he'd said had made any difference in their opinion of him, but at least he'd tried.
oOo
An hour later the team of four was reunited, taking up shelter in Kama's spare room. Itsuki and Shin had arrived first, only to be traced by Hana's sense of smell once they'd arrived and settled in a bit. The room was small, but four thin futons had been laid out, and a few scratchy blankets and thin pillows were folded neatly in one corner for them.
"Safest place for folks like you," Kama had explained smartly before retiring her own bedroom. "Nobody will touch this house till I'm six feet under so long as I have any say about it."
Itsuki had thanked her for her hospitality once again, and they had settled together into the dimly lit room to discuss the day's events before they went to sleep.
"She didn't have to be so rude earlier," Hana huffed, crossing her arms.
"Who?"
"Kama-san, of course," she glared at Shin. "All that stuff about not burying Konoha soldiers just because the bodies weren't theirs." She scowled. "And that whole thing about reading a textbook that wasn't ours? What the hell was that about? She made us out to be total idiots."
"Hmm," Itsuki pondered her words for a moment. "Well, history is written by the winners, as they say."
"I think... Kama-san may have a point," Shin said suddenly, his voice hesitant as he glanced uneasily at Hana. "I mean, imagine if this happened to Konoha."
"What, a war?" Hana scoffed. "We've been through one. We actually contributed."
"No, that's not what I mean," Shin frowned, resting his chin in the palm of his hand. "What if, say, Sand and Mist went to war, and they used our land and surrounding settlements as their battleground?"
"We would fight them off, of course," Hana answered hotly, crossing her arms. "Hokage-sama would never allow that."
"But Grass doesn't have a kage, Hana-san. They just have a Daimyo, and a Hidden Village that answers to him. So what if we didn't have the organization or power to protect those settlements, and all we could do was leave them to get destroyed? What if Sand and Mist razed Konoha to the ground, and all of us were constantly scared and alone and wondering who was going to die next?" He looked down at his hands. "If we barely had the land and resources to bury our own dead, what would we do with Sand and Mist casualties?"
Hana stared at him for a moment.
"We would bury them, too," she answered quietly. "Because Konoha is better than that."
"Maybe," he answered slowly, but his expression was unsure. "I just think… if we were really trying to help these people, and I mean really help, and get them back on their feet, then why were we the only ones sanctioned to come here? We're obviously the first non-hostile Konoha ninja they've seen since the war, and we didn't bring much."
"Does it matter?" she asked, folding her hands beneath her chin. "We came, didn't we? That's more than Stone and Mist or anyone else can say."
"Not their Canary," he argued quietly. "This legend or deity of theirs, this Canary, they go as far as to say she's the only help they need. Because she seemed real, and somehow convinced them that she cared, while we… we look fake. We look like we're just here on some half-assed PR mission."
Itachi suddenly stiffened, and Itsuki and Hana both glanced at the Uchiha, the latter only just realizing he hadn't said a word the entire time.
"Uchiha?" Hana questioned quietly, more of a silent question of whether or not he was okay than anything else, but he didn't look at either of them.
"I'm going to sleep," he informed them shortly, before walking to the corner and shaking out one of the blankets.
"Wait, Itachi-kun," Itsuki requested quietly. "Before you retire, could you please go over what you know of the hospital incident? You haven't mentioned anything that occurred after you left Midori-san behind with the horses."
Itachi hesitated, the blanket gripped tightly in his hands, before he took a deep breath and le t out a quiet sigh.
"Their Canary is a liar and a murderer," he answered finally, slowly sitting back down on his futon. "I'll put everything in my report."
Then he rolled over and pulled his blanket over himself, facing the wall in silence.
"Oi, Itachi-san—"
"It's fine, Shin," Itsuki cut off the boy quietly. "We've all had a long day, so let's get our rest for now. We can talk again in the morning, when Midori-kun and Shiba-kun are ready to tell us what they know. There may very well be more to this story than we know."
Shin watched Itachi's prone form for a moment, his expression troubled, but he eventually nodded.
"Well… alright, then."
Itsuki dimmed the light, and they each tucked in for the night, slowly laying out their bedrolls for extra padding and settling in. Before long, the soft sound of Shin's snoring filled the silence, and Itsuki's slow, even breathing soon followed. Hana rolled onto her back, hands folded across her stomach, and stared up at the ceiling, her expression unreadable.
"I know you're awake, Uchiha," she finally murmured into the air, her voice quiet so as to not wake her team. "Spill."
"Why do I have to answer to you?" the cold, almost silent murmur reached her ears and she felt her lips press together. That didn't sound like the Itachi she knew. He was kinder than that, she knew it, so what was so wrong, that agitated him so much? What was he hiding, or at least, what was so terrible that he refused to talk about?
"You're worrying Shin and Sensei," she answered stubbornly, refusing to admit that she was more than a little worried herself. "Don't be selfish," she added as a second thought, because targeting his ethical code would probably be more effective. She heard him give a quiet sigh, and her eyes flicked over to him briefly.
"Do you remember the child that tried to steal from me earlier today?" he asked finally, and she hummed her assent. "Her name was Gina, and her mother was in that hospital."
"That child…?" she remembered the flash of scruffy dark hair and big brown eyes. That was the friend the boys had lost? She hadn't looked like a girl to Hana, but Itachi would know better than her. So that little girl was dead, and Midori and Shiba clearly were mourning her. And somehow, Itachi had a connection to what happened. If Gina died in the explosion, it probably would have been while she was visiting her mother. Hana didn't really like where this was going. "So she and her mother died in the fire?" she asked softly, rolling onto her side.
"No," came the pained reply. "Only the mother. Gina survived."
"What?" Hana sat up, turning to look at him. Itachi glanced at her from his position on his back, hands resting behind his head. He returned his gaze to the ceiling.
"I wanted to go and get her out, but someone was already there, uninjured and moving around inside."
"The Canary," Hana breathed, remembering his words before they'd gone to bed. He sighed.
"Yeah," he admitted quietly. "The Canary."
"So she's real," Hana mused, slowly laying back down. "What happened next?"
"I thought she would save Gina," Itachi replied, his voice so quiet Hana had to strain to hear him. "I actually believed that she was the legend everyone here said she was. Some kind of… hero, just in time to help."
Hana waited for him to finish, feeling apprehension begin to build in her gut, though she wasn't sure why.
"But no," his voice cracked on the last word. "Instead I watched her kneel by Gina with a knife and slowly cut her throat until she drowned in her own blood. She killed her, so that there wouldn't be any survivors." Itachi closed his eyes and took a deep, shuddering breath, calming himself, before opening his eyes once more and meeting Hana's shocked gaze. "Now all of them are dead."
Hana swallowed the bile that was rising in the back of her throat.
"The Canary killed Gina," she repeated in a whisper, not knowing how to feel. What would happen when this village realized that their hopes and dreams resided in someone unworthy of them? Would they hunt down the Canary? Or would they just mourn yet another tragedy befalling their ramshackle little village?
Her head was beginning to hurt with all that was going on, and she couldn't even begin to imagine how Itachi must feel, having been so close and yet so unable to do anything but watch helplessly.
"You know it's not your fault, right, Uchiha?" she closed her eyes slowly, waiting for his response. "There was no way you could have helped without getting yourself killed."
"If I was stronger—" he began, but she snorted quietly, cutting him off.
"I hate to break it to you, but we're seven. No one expects us to be elite yet. We can help out and do as much as we can, but tonight, you did the best thing by surviving and making it back to us. Get that in your head, okay? Other people care about your life, too. So don't go selfishly acting reckless, just because you're a pretty smart guy for your age. Got it?"
There was a long silence, and she wondered if he might have fallen asleep, until finally, his barely audible response came.
"I won't fall for that kind of misguided belief again," he swore quietly, eyes burning into the ceiling. "Next time, I will act."
She frowned a little, but didn't say anything. She would try to talk more sense into him later, but right now he was obviously upset, and she didn't want to get in a fight. Sensei had been right. It'd been a long day, and they needed their rest, Itachi most of all.
oOo
The next morning found the team of four up bright and early. Staying in a foreign place made for light sleep, and there was less grumbling than usual when dawn broke and they began to prepare for the day and their departure.
"Do you really think those boys will talk to us before they leave?" Shin yawned, rolling up his bedroll and placing it on top of his pack.
"Who knows?" Hana answered hefting her own pack onto her back. "One way to find out, I guess."
"Get your things together quickly," Itsuki advised. "I wouldn't want my cute Genin to be left behind."
Hana rolled her eyes, but picked up the pace anyways. The sooner this was over with, the sooner they could get back home, and the sooner she could shower, and the sooner she could grill Itachi over what was eating at him, though not necessarily in that order.
Breakfast found the four munching on some dried fruit Kama had left out for them, and by the time the sun was up, they were walking out toward the stables, shivering in the chilly air. They arrived with no interruptions, and Itachi wordlessly moved to feed and water the horses, his movements precise and practiced, but his thoughts clearly elsewhere.
Once the horses were hooked up to the near empty wagon, there was still no sign of the boys.
"Maybe they like to sleep in?" Shin suggested, once the last of their preparations was complete.
"Idiot," Hana scoffed. "They probably chickened out of it. Having a night to think over something horrible that happened doesn't exactly make people willing to talk about it the next day."
"We will wait for Kama-san," Itsuki informed them evenly, cutting off Shin before he had the chance to retort. "We will thank her for her hospitality and then take our leave, assuming that the distribution of the supplies amongst the civilians is going smoothly. If the boys decide not to accompany her or speak to us, that is their choice. Remember what we are here for."
Hana didn't really like Sensei's subtle hint that the boys' problems weren't their own, but technically it was true. They were here to finish a mission. But still, if something was going on, they should try and do the right thing. Or should they? Ninja code was a little blurred when it came to choosing between following orders and doing the morally correct thing. She would have to ask about that when she got home. In fact, there were a lot of things she needed to ask about when she returned, least of all the way of the proper ninja.
They made their way slowly back down the path in the general direction they had entered the settlement from, and it was not long before the sounds of people moving within their houses and preparing for another long day began to fill the air, accompanied with familiar grumbles and complaints concerning their new visitors.
"Glad to see you folks up and moving," Kama's voice cut into the morning air and the four turned to see the woman move toward them, leaning heavily on her cane. A new heaviness seemed to make the former beauty stoop just slightly lower, as if the deaths of the night before had a tangible weight. Shadows ringed her eyes, and her bony hands were white knuckled against the smooth wood of her hand carven support. Nevertheless, her voice was as sharp and snappy as usual, and Itsuki nodded a polite greeting, a wan smile touching his features.
"Kama-san," he greeted, "We were just about to take our leave, so long as distribution has continued without delay."
"Of course," she returned the smile, though it didn't quite reach her eyes. "Our population ain't what it used to be, so most deliveries stay local."
"I understand," Itsuki answered evenly, bowing his head. Some sort of mutual understanding seemed to pass between the two, and after a moment, he straightened. "Well, as Midori-kun and Shiba-kun have decided not to see us off, I suppose we have no business left to attend to." He smiled cheerfully at his Genin. "Shall we go?"
Itachi frowned and turned to face Kama.
"Are they alright?" he asked, an undercurrent of anxiety in his voice. Kama stared at him for a moment.
"Not yet," she told Itachi with an ancient sounding sigh. "But they will be, lad. The folks here are tough as nails, and just as sharp. They'll come to terms with it as they have everything else."
"And your legend," Itachi's expression was unreadable, but his dark eyes burned from beneath his forehead protector. "Where is she?"
Kama's eyes sharpened, but she dismissed his question with a wave of her hand.
"Who knows?" she answered mildly. "Long gone, if the past is any tell of her behavior."
"You've met this Canary, then, Kama-san?" Itsuki questioned, suddenly looking interested. Kama frowned at Itachi and Itsuki, and Shin looked back and forth between them, confused.
"I think it's time you folks take your leave," Kama answered calmly, before dipping her head politely. "Thank you for your kindness. We will not forget Leaf's compassion in the near future, I'm sure."
Itsuki nodded.
"Until next time, then," he replied with a smile, tipping his hat, and she stiffened almost imperceptibly before a forced grin made its way onto her features.
Shin's brow furrowed, trying to interpret the weird subtle cues and hints being dropped left and right before giving up with a sigh and turning to his teammates. Them at least, he could understand. They began to walk through the main streets alone, leaving Kama standing near the steps they had first found her, cane clasped tightly in both hands.
She stood erect, waiting in silence as the wind blew wispy strands of greying hair around her features.
"Shiba, Midori," she called quietly, once she was sure the ninja were out of earshot. "It's not too late. If you wish to share the story with them, I won't stop you." Two young, dirt-smudged faces peeked out from the alleyway, eyes suspicious and careful.
"They wouldn't understand," Midori answered, staring after them with dark eyes. "Even if they're different… Canary-chan doesn't like the system, and they follow it."
"I think they would've helped," Shiba mumbled. "At least, that grey haired boy would've."
"Not gonna risk it, though," Midori glanced down at his brother. "If we were wrong, Canary-chan could get hurt." Shiba nodded slowly, his eyes growing sad.
"We can't let anything happen to Hime," he agreed, and they both turned to Kama. She nodded slowly, accepting their decision, and turned her gaze slowly to the sky.
Where will you fly to, now, Canary? She wondered, memories of the past echoing through her head and making her chest ache. The path you are treading is a dangerous one, child.
oOo
Out of earshot for a normal person, perhaps, but from the distance they were at, Itachi heard the words the boys spoke with little difficulty. He allowed his chakra to return to normal, the energy enhancing his hearing slipping back to circulate regularly through his system.
"They don't know," he mumbled to Hana, his eyes lowered toward the ground. He tucked his hands into his pockets so that they couldn't see his hands curled into fists so tight they were shaking. "They still think that their Canary is a hero."
A few people around them started, the passerby exchanging meaningful glances with one another and a few openly staring at the ninja as they walked toward the outskirts of the village.
Hana glanced at Itachi before returning her gaze forward. When she answered, her voice was just as low.
"Get a hold of yourself, Uchiha. We'll look into this once we get home, but for now, just get your shit together. We did our mission, our second C-rank, remember?"
"I know," he answered, calming himself until his voice was even and his hands relaxed. "But even so, it doesn't change the fact that they believe in a legend that is little more than a terrorist." The last word he spat, and Hana sighed, preparing to lecture the shit out of her comrade about priorities and things that should be best saved for later when an arrow came out of nowhere, slicing through the air toward her head.
She jerked back in the nick of time with a sharp intake of breath, the arrowhead just grazing her jaw, and then suddenly everyone moved.
Itsuki had vanished and appeared in front of the three of them, crouching low in a defensive stance much more aggressive than any they'd seen before. Itachi had already pulled Hana behind him, glaring hard in the direction the arrow had come from, and after recovering from his initial shock, Shin had hesitantly drawn a kunai, his eyes flickering nervously back and forth, scanning the faces of the people around them.
Unfriendly, hard faces stared back at them, some openly angry, while others just pressed their lips together and turned away.
"What's their problem?" Shin asked in a low voice, an edge creeping into his tone. "We're leaving, aren't we?"
A shadow moved to their right, and sparks flew as Itsuki snapped forward with a kunai, its edge grating against a metal pipe held in the hands of one of the impromptu attackers. Another jumped out from behind the first, wielding knives in each hand, and lunged at Shin. The grey haired boy ducked between the man's legs, bewilderment and shock plainly on his face as he tried to get his bearings. Itsuki kicked the first attacker in the chest and sent him stumbling back, turning to descend upon Shin's attacker, when two more men darted in, targeting Hana and Itachi.
Itsuki let out a hissed curse, his hands flying together to form seals because they would not touch his students so long as he lived, and concentrated his chakra to release a jutsu that would force them all back.
And then, just before he executed the technique, the three Genin acted.
Shin ducked beneath a blow and swept a leg beneath the knees of the knife user, sending the man toppling to the ground. Hana had managed to get herself tangled up in a brawl, and her attacker was scrabbling to get away as she aimed for his face repeatedly and unreservedly.
Itachi's face was pale and drawn, but set in determination as he dispatched the final opponent, executing a taijutsu form that resonated strongly with the Uchiha's advanced style. Even so, tension seemed to be rising in the boy, a quiet anger bubbling just beneath the surface as he subdued his opponent and turned to his teammates.
"Wind Release," Itsuki growled beneath his breath. "Heavy Blast." A condensed wall of air blasted outward, forcing two of their attackers to stumble back several paces. Itsuki turned to deal with Itachi and Shin's opponents as well, and his mouth went dry as Shin moved to attack and the man rolled, grabbing a corpse from the side of the road and raising it like a shield.
Unable to pull the attack, Shin's kunai sank into the corpse, and his face flooded white with horror when he realized what had just happened. He choked.
"Why would you—?!"
The man shoved the body forward, on top of a traumatized Shin, and the Genin panicked as the man took advantage of the diversion to attack with a shard of glass. Itsuki wasn't close enough to intervene in time.
A shadow flickered and suddenly Itachi was there, lips pulled back over his teeth in a snarl. He knocked aside the man's wrist with a well-aimed kick and jammed his elbow up into the man's throat, causing his head to snap backward with a grunt of pain.
He turned and kicked the corpse off of Shin, grabbing his teammate's hand and helping the shaking boy to his feet. The man came again, lunging toward the Genin, and Itachi reacted without even looking.
"Enough!" he snarled, kicking the man aside and sending him skidding across the street. "Enough have died already! The war is over!" He turned and glared over his shoulder at the man, who spat a gob of blood on the street and wiped his mouth angrily.
"Itachi…" Shin murmured. From a few feet away, Hana stared at the Uchiha, her eyes wide and worried.
"You've just lost your sick and injured, and now you're trying to kill us, too!" Itachi's eyes glittered with fury, his irises pulsing a deep maroon color.
"Where is your humanity?! Where is your compassion?" He landed, voice faltering as his words were met with stony glares.
"Why don't you ask the Sanbi?" one of the men hissed back, and Itachi's head snapped around to face the source of the voice, eyes blazing red. The man recoiled slightly, fists loosening as his dark eyes met the feared Sharingan.
Itsuki tensed, and Shin gasped.
"Itachi, y-your eyes…" Shin hesitantly said aloud, but Itachi didn't even seem to hear him.
"We are not the Sanbi," He hissed at the man. "And we are not your enemy."
oOo
A/N: So Itachi somehow meets the benevolent legend, who isn't actually so benevolent. Itsuki is a helicopter mom. Students question the morals of their own village, and definitely want some answers from the Hokage.
Also, mysterious father searching for his daughter. Gee, wonder who that could that be. Next chapter we see some more Kisame, and underground (potentially dangerous) allies are formed for better or for worse.
Thoughts: What really happened between Itachi and the Canary?